Living through the credit crunch is never easy, but when you have ponies and horses who rely on you for nourishment, shelter and medicine, every small amount saved helps.

It’s a well known fact that dozens of horses and ponies are abandoned every week, as owners struggle financially with the economy as it is, because of this there are currently many horses for sale.

Sara Tuppen founder of the Horse Refuge in Wittersham Kent, is well aware of looking after horses on a tight budget, and relies purely on donations to help keep over 40 rescued horses in good condition. According to her there are many ways which could help make owning a horse on a tight budget a little easier:

1. Many horses can live comfortably outside for the majority of the year, providing there’s nurishment, water and shelter available. If this is an acceptable option for your horse, it could reduce the cost of stabling considerably.

2. Removing shoes can be an easy way to reduce outlay. If not ridden regularly, and not ridden on rough surfaces, many horses will not need shoes.

3. Sharing your horse is a great way to cut (even halve!) costs, and helps to provide a cheaper introduction to horse ownership for someone else.

4. In many cases it is possible to get free stabling and occasionally hay and straw in return for chores. Mucking out, grooming, maintenance etc. are all ways which could save you money for a little work!

5. Vets bills are an unknown quantity but still have to be considered. If you’re budget is low, you may sometimes discover a lot of Vets will allow you to pay in instalments.

6. Most of us can also make lifestyle changes! It’s not all about finding ways to keep your horse more cheaply, you can do it too!

7. If achievable, horse owners can often club together to buy feed and straw in bulk, reducing the overall price and passing on savings to all.

8. Finally, you can look into placing your horse in a foster home, even as a family friend.

If you’re fortunate enough to be in a position to share, or even purchase a horse or pony, there are still many horses for sale and ponies for sale available.

Horse training requires a firm basis on the ground before you can move onto saddle training; here are a few basic exercises outlined which can be used when training your own horse or someone else’s. It is important to get these exercises right first, as this is how you and the horse will become familiar with each other and build a trusting relationship. It is the groundwork that will pave the way for future training. It is important for your safety that your new ton-sized friend is taught to respect your personal space bubble.

Successful horse training requires patience, persistence and lots of positive reinforcement. These three P’s can be applied to all current and future levels of horse training.

1. Groom your horse. This is the perfect first exercise for you and your horse. You’ll get to know each other. Stand beside him and brush his neck and back. A horse will often turn to give you a little love bit at this time. Horses do this to each other, but may not do it to humans. You can discourage this easily enough by the wave of a hand or by pushing his head back to the straight position. Those teeth are HUGE so you must make it clear from the beginning that this is unacceptable. Use patience and keep calm. The horse will understand and cooperate before too long. It will do you no good to panic, stress, smack your horse or get otherwise agitated. This will only set you back with your trust levels.

2. Lead your horse. Walk on the left side of your horse, holding the lead rope just below his chin in your right hand. Take a step and walk slowly forward. He should remain at your right side and never try to go ahead of you. If he tries to go ahead just walk around him to your left in a circle. Do this as many times as necessary. Show persistence. Use the circular movement to stay just ahead of him, where you should be. Should your horse not want to walk with you then stand slightly behind him, at his shoulder, facing the same direction. While holding the rope close to his chin, push forward gently. Give praise and positive reinforcement when he takes a small step. When he starts to walk willingly, take your place slightly ahead of him and walk on. Never wrap the lead rope around any part of yourself – this is for your own safety. If the horse decides to bolt you’ll be going along and it will not be pretty.

3. Lunge your horse.This is a great exercise used by most horse trainers and owners. Many of the skills, commands and cues that your horse will require for saddle work can be taught by performing lunging exercises.

In a large open area (an arena works, too, if you don’t have a round enclosure) clip your horse to a lunge lead specifically for lunging. The lungeing rope will be much longer than the lead rope at about thirty feet long. Clip the lead to the horse’s left halter side and hold the lead in your left hand. Face your horse’s left side to begin, whilst holding the lunge rope. Hold a lunge whip in your right hand which you’ll use to guide him along. Now step to your right sideways toward the rear of the horse while holding the whip out behind him. The horse’s natural reaction will be to step forward. Let the line out and follow the horse just behind and to the left side and make a kissing sound. Soon that sound will come to mean “move forward” to your horse. As you’re turning and the horse moves in a circle around you, hold the whip slightly behind his hindquarters. The whip is not for hitting. You only need to wave it just a little to get his attention.

Now, as he moves forward, you should move yourself slowly backwards, so that you come to the centre of your training circle. Stand in the middle and turn in a circle with the lunge line fully extended and the horse walking around you in a good circle. Watch your horse’s hip area as he’s going round.

The “whoa” command can be taught at this stage. In a low, calm voice, say the word “whoooaa”. At the same time, step toward your horse’s head and repeat the word. Be sure to give him a neck rub with lots of praise when he stops. Your horse needs this positive reinforcement if he is to remember what he needs to do.

You can now change position so that you are lunging your horse anti-clockwise. This is done simply by swapping the lead over to be clipped onto the right of the halter, and holding the lunge whip in your left hand.

These exercises are simple ways to get you started when traiing your horse. Bear in mind that a horse is a huge and powerful creature. This alone should be enough to remind you to have adequate horse insurance in place should either you or your equine be injured. Your success with training and all future activities depends both on safety and trust. As well as a loyal friend, your horse is also an investment, so remember to protect that investment against theft, accident or misadventure by making sure you compare horse insurance policies to ensure you are getting the best level of cover for both of your needs.

A horse with colic is a situation that worries any horse lover. So what exactly is colic in horses? What signs should you keep an eye out for?

Colic in horses refers to pain originating in the abdomen. Generally horses will not handle abdominal pain very well. So in the event of any disturbance of gut functioning they will usually display signs of discomfort.

Signs of irritation could be stretching, a stance as if to urinate, and hoofing the ground. If the pain is greater the horse will stand up and lie down, and try rolling to get more comfortable.

The horse will start to sweat. In more severe cases it will get up and down and roll constantly.

What Should You Do?
Should you believe your horse is suffering from colic, you should call an equine vet immediately. The vet will be in a position to supply rapid pain relief and make a decision whether additional action is appropriate.

What should you do while you wait for the vet to arrive? Leading your horse for a walk sometimes helps. It may encourage his guts to work normally and surpress any pain. It could also prevent your horse lying down to roll. If he is lying on the floor quietly then you should let him stay lying down.

It was thought that horses could cause a twisted gut by rolling. That has been proven to be probably not true. Though it is best to prevent him rolling around if you can. That way you can prevent your horse harming himself by banging itself on the stable walls. Of course take care that you don’t get injured yourself. Horses often lose all their manners if in pain.

There are several differing reasons as to why horses get colic. But often the signs look the same regardless of the cause.

What will the vet do to look into the issue? He or she will have a listen to the abdomen with a stethoscope which will show them whether there is more or less activity in the gut than normal.

Monitoring the heart rate provides a good idea of the seriousness of the discomfort and the seriousness of the problem. Usually a horse with a regular heart rate does not have a sever problem. However higher heart rates are not such a promising sign.

A really useful area of the examination is the examination of the rectum. By physically feeling the gut, the vet may be able to find the cause of the problem. Of course this is a highly skilled procedure, that is potentially dangerous for both parties. But for an experienced equine vet the feedback it gives is invaluable in concluding the nature of the issue. It may reveal an obstruction, or a swollen gut loop as a result of a twist or other intestinal issue.

It’s likely that in all but the simple cases the vet may inset a tube through the nose into the stomach. This may sound unpleasant but often may make your horse comfortable by releasing the built up pressure from the stomach. This process can also give the vet detailed feedback as to whether the stomach is emptying correctly.

On occasion the horse is in so much pain that it is impossible for the vet to examine him fully without first applying a dose of pain killer.

Only by collecting all of the information provided by a detailed examination is the vet able to make a tentative diagnosis. Even then it may not be possible to tell exactly what is going on.

Sometimes, after the first inspection, the horse needs surgery. Though more usually the vet will choose to treat the horse with a fast-acting painkiller and review his condition after a couple of hours. Most examples show a quick improvement. But others will show no response to the treatment, or they will respond initially, then start displaying signs of discomfort again later.

Rather than having to bring the vet out multiple times, it is usually better to move these cases to a specialist equine practice so they can be monitored closely and surgery can be performed if necessary.

Conclusion
Fortunately the vast majority of cases respond quickly to medical treatment. However if surgery is necessary – it is vital to operate as soon as possible. The chance of a successful outcome is far greater if the operation is performed before too much damage has occurred.

For more information, horses for sale and more, please visit the Horse and Pony Directory.

Horse riders will of course see saddle training as the ultimate goal, but first it’s necessary to complete the groundwork. You will need to take your horse from trailer or barn to the tack area, tack up, and then you’ll ride. Not much point in teaching your horse point B, the saddle riding part, if there’s no way to get there from point A is there?. Your horse will need to cooperate with you so the two of you can act as a team. This cooperation begins with your ability to approach, catch, and halter him first. Then you’ll need to lead your horse about with a halter and a lead rope.

With the primary objective of safety in mind, your horse needs to learn what is acceptable behaviour. Pulling against the lead rope, for example, is natural behaviour for a horse which you will need to teach him not to do. Whoever is leading needs to be secure that their personal space will not be invaded by the horse. Many an accident has occurred as a direct result of inattention to the importance of teaching your horse basic safety manners before attempting anything more advanced. Whilst a good equine insurance policy may cover you for accidents that happen in training, it’s obviously far more preferable not to have to find this out!

The three Ps of horse training – patience, persistence and positive reinforcement – come into play when leading your horse. Having already accomplished haltering, it is likely that you have already discovered the effectiveness of the three Ps.

Ideally you need to begin lead training with your horse when he is still a foal. Don’t leave it too late to begin teaching ground manners – a very young horse doesn’t need to know about saddles and riding yet, so you have time to focus on these important basics. The young horse will need to cooperate for farrier and vet visits, as well as for the various people moving about the yard, stables or paddock.

If you’re lucky enough to have the dam on site, the foal will copy the behaviours of the dam. Don’t worry if the dam is not present, as it works as well with any horse which the foal spends time with. Young horses naturally learn from the older ones in the herd. For example, you don’t need to teach a horse in the pasture how to graze or go to the water and drink. They watch the other horses to learn these things. If your student is older, you can still use another horse’s example by haltering and leading the other horse first. Your student will be watching, as they do notice everything that happens around them, particularly if it involves other horses in their own herd.

A good place to start is to lead a more experienced horse along with the foal; lead them simultaneously with you in the middle. The safest place for you to stand is to the left of your student’s shoulder, with the older horse to your left. A young horse could suddenly decide to bolt or to kick his heels, so make sure that you don’t wrap the lead rope around your hand or anywhere else that makes you vunerable. The last thing you need at this stage is complicating the process with an injury for which you may need to claim on your horse insurance.

If you have a calm horse which you think the foal will follow you could also use the pony method. This is done by simply towing the student horse behind using a longer lead rope. It makes sense in fact to teach the lead in this way, as it’s natural for a young horse to follow an elders lead.

You will need to fall back only on the three Ps of horse training in the absence of other horses to help the youngster learn what to do. It will still be viable, but may take a bit longer for your horse to understand what you’d like him to do.

After satisfactory progress, it’s time to try it alone. Again, standing to the left of your young horse’s shoulder and with both of you looking straight ahead, gently walk forward and as you step out, tug very gently forward, then release any pressure on the rope as soon as the horse makes any motion to go forward. Understanding that release is a reward to your horse is a valuable tip used by professional trainers. It tells him that he’s doing things right.

After you have him walking with you in straight lines with success, try turning slightly to the left, maintaining the space bubble between you. If he crowds you, use your right hand to push him out away from you and hold your arm out to the appropriate distance. Then try turning to the right with the same safety distance between the two of you, still using your right hand to guide him into the correct zone. Remember to release pressure on the lead rope and reward him every time he shows a step in the right direction.

Lead training requires large reserves of patience. Stick with it and you’ll soon see big improvements. Do a little work every day if you can and this will put you closer to the day you can finally saddle up for a ride.

Nicholas Fyffe Dressage Training

The ancient ability of dressage coaching is seemingly more and more  fashionable in America at the moment. It possesses several advantages for serious riders. For a start it can be practiced in a comparatively small place and generally urban residents do not possess trouble-free admittance to large spaces. A further lure of the activity is its terrific aesthetic appeal and the rewards of achieving tight harmony with an equine partner.

In the lower levels of dressage, it can be relatively easy to train a horse. You’ll have to work with them, to make sure that they act in response to your aids and take note to your seat. You will want to labor on bending them into your corners and getting round rings.

If not ready to exercise you pony that much yourself, get a good rider to work with your pony and if you are up to it you can get some riding coaching as well so you and your horse can become more skilled together!

In dressage, the rider uses his weight, legs and seat to steer the horse.  These are known as the AIDS.  To use the AIDS correctly, the rider’s body must be aligned and balanced.  From a side view, the ear, shoulder, hip and heel of the rider should be in a straight line at the halt.

For dressage coaching you should be working on a dressage arena, with an enclosed space where you can practice precise 20m circles.

The most typical kind of dressage is known as classical dressage.  It is about teaching the pony to carry himself properly thru conditioning, training, and time.

it takes about two years from getting on a horse to him being able to move correctly like this and hold himself properly each time, and it can only occur if the rider rides well.

It consumes years of training before this style and lots of other higher level movements can also be attempted!  Actually more data that might be conveyed here!

There are some very well known names in dressage.  For example, Jan threshold belongs to the world elite in dressage, and with the horse Briar 899 he has had great success on state as well as international arenas.  Jan has been to countless international championships, including the Olympics, WEG, and World Cups.

Rafael Soto is an Olympic silver medalist in dressage.  He has been described as possessing a remarkable talent for instruction which is awfully bizarre for Olympic medalists.

People who take dressage training are learning an equestrian discipline which are millennia old in.  A viable training program must have not only a seasoned and qualified instructor, but just as critical, are the schoolmaster’s capability and data, and the selection of well-schooled horses who permit riders of all levels to gain a deep understanding and feel for the movements and timing which of this demanding art.
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Cribbing is a compulsive behavior, which horses sometimes develop as a result of boredom, typically resulting from being left in a box much of the day with nothing to do. It consists of the horse firmly biting an object, arching its neck while pulling on the object, and sucking in air. It is believed that this triggers the release of chemicals (endorphins) in the brain, giving a pleasurable sensation. Cribbing is also known as ‘wind sucking’ or ‘crib biting’.

Horse cribbing is sometimes confused with wood chewing but the two are different problems. A wood chewer simply nibbles on the wood, which is a habit that is easily treatable. A cribber pulls on wood (or other objects) while sucking air in order to release brain chemicals, which effectively makes it a drug addiction, and consequently much more difficult to cure.

Over time, cribbing will wear down and damage the horse’s teeth. The pulling motion results in an abnormal muscle development in the neck, making it thicker. A number of other illnesses, such as colic, are associated with cribbing but the relationship of these illnesses is unknown (e.g. does the colic pain promote the habit, or does the cribbing air sucking cause the colic, or are both colic and cribbing simply more likely in horses which lack pasture time).

Ideally, one should prevent the development of the cribbing behavior by providing the horse with as natural and interesting environment as possible. Once a horse has cribbing, the situation is more difficult, but one can greatly reduce the frequency of cribbing by providing a mentally stimulating environment. The first step is to provide as much pasture time as possible. One should also make the feeding regime as natural as possible, consisting of pasture grass if possible and hay as a second choice; foods such as grains which can be quickly eaten with minimum chewing are the least desirable. In addition, many small feeds are preferable to a few large feeds, as this helps break up the day. Any other activities which provide interest, such as exercise and grooming, will make a positive contribution.

An interesting environment will normally prevent the development of cribbing, and help already cribbing horses to reduce the amount of cribbing. Unfortunately, once the habit is established, this in itself will seldom cure it completely. One needs to combine this action with treatment to physically prevent the horse from cribbing, in order to eventually break the habit.

One common approach is a cribbing strap (also known as cribbing collar), which fits around the neck and holds a small metal plate to the underside of the neck, making cribbing uncomfortable. Alternatively, one can use a special muzzle which fits over the head, preventing the horse from reaching objects with its teeth but still allowing it to feed through the metal grill. Painting fence rails with a specialty paint which gives them a bad taste (use only the veterinary approved paints) will discourage cribbing on them, as will adding a fencing wire (with electrical current) to the top of rails. Some horse owners have also reported improvements with certain medications (e.g. anti-depressants for the horse). Finally, there is a surgical solution which involves cutting certain neck muscles and nerves to make cribbing physically impossible, although this should be seen as a final option.

It is important to both address the base issue (intense boredom) and to try to physically discourage the horse using one of the above approaches. Trying just one or the other is seldom effective.

This is basic ground manners explained. In it’s simplest form, good manners means your horse doing as he is told. Your horse should be able to perform each task or movement safely regardless of ease or complexity. The very basics include not pushing, stepping on or otherwise endangering you whether intentionally or not. These may seem like simple annoyances, perhaps, but you can see that there is definitely potential for someone to be seriously hurt. Since horses outweigh you by a ton, literally, a misplaced hoof can break your foot. Better not to find out the hard way whether your equine insurance will cover you for this! If you first establish and then maintain an area of personal space, this can be avoided.

Allowing your horse to nuzzle into your pockets in the search for crunchy treats could land you with a nibble in a rather inconvenient place. These love nibbles will not feel as such when made by teeth as big as those of your horse. Horses in a herd treat each other differently than they must treat us. Often they will bite, nip and crowd each other, but they are somewhat more robust than we are.

Unfortunately, the space bubble lesson has been learned by many the hard way. My first, and subsequently the last, experience with the concept of crowding occurred when I bought my first horse years ago. My wonderful new four-legged friend liked to “help” me with the paddock cleaning. As I shovelled and filled the manure cart, he would come and put his nose into it. Then one day he actually lifted his front hoof and put it into the cart when I put a rake full of manure in. He knocked the cart over, which spooked him, which in turn spooked the other three horses in the paddock. There was a furore of hooves and tails a-flying and I was stuck amongst this. Thankfully I was not hurt, but this could have been a mild or even a serious disaster – and may have even necessitated a claim on my horse insurance.

This was in the basic learning curve time period for both of us. I was so amused at his trying to help me with my chores that I didn’t think about the potential consequences. I learned about the importance of safety manners that day. From that moment on I taught him how to respect my space when going about my tasks within the paddock and with the other horses. There was still plenty of time to be cute during our training time.

The three Ps of horse training success can be utilized to teach basic safety manners to your horse. The relationship which you have with any horse – be it your own or one you are training for someone else – is largely dependant on the use of patience, persistence and positive reinforcement.

Patience. Remember that your horse doesn’t yet know what is expected of him. You will go a long way in building trust by showing patience with your horse when showing him what to do, and letting him try and try again until he gets it. Allow your mind to become clear of stresses and strain before you start a training session. Take a deep breath and relax. It is part of the natural learning process for your horse to test the waters. He needs to check and see if what he thinks you want is correct. This can occur several times before the horse has confirmed his correct assessment of the task.

Persistence. Don’t simply give up when things don’t happen quickly. At first it is hard to communicate. You will both need to learn how to speak the same language! Stay with it and be consistent in your cues. Horses are very perceptive to even the slightest cue. Your horse will only cooperate when he has learned what the cue means.

Positive reinforcement. Whenever your horse does something correctly, show him a signal. The best reward for a horse may not be those tasty treats. They love to be released when they’ve done their job. Imagine the “whoa!” or “stop” cue. This is a pull on the bit within his mouth. When the horse exhibits the signs that he understands that you want him to stop, release the bit immediately. That tells him he’s doing the right thing.

Horses need to know their limits. How close can he stand to you before you feel crowded? Can he pull on the lead rope if he doesn’t want to go the way you are leading him? If he doesn’t feel inclined to pick up his foot, will you allow him to get away with this? For a horse this is not natural, even though to us it may seem like common sense. A correctly and carefully trained horse will forever be both a most pleasing companion and could also represent a lower liability when it comes to renewing your horse insurance policy.

The Morgan horse is a truly competent breed, which performs well across many disciplines across the equestrian world. The Morgan is know to be one of the first breeds of horse developed in the United States, and its ancestry can be traced back to the very first stallion called Figure (who then went on to become known as Justin Morgan after its owner).

Figure – Justin Morgan
Figure, the sire from which all Morgans can be traced back to, was born in 1789, in Massachusetts. He is believed to have stood just short of horse height, around 14 hands, and was well known for his ability to pass down hereditary qualities such as his conformation, appearance and agility, making him a superb choice to start the breed. He lived to the age of 32, and during his life was renamed ‘Justin Morgan’ and so the breed is often heard being referred to as ‘The Justin Morgan Horse’.

Features of a Morgan Horse
Every Morgan comes from one breed standard, irrelative of bloodline etc. They are of a refined build, with good strength in the legs, a stocky yet compact body, a noticeably arched neckline and set back shoulders. They are very expressive in character, which is exaggerated by them having large eyes.

Morgan horse height varies, but normally ranges from around 14.1 hands to 15.2 hands though there are some examples which stray either side of these limits. Though they are technically regarded as being horses, if a Morgan horse is under 14.2hh it can be classed, and entered as a Pony in equestrian shows and competitions.

Morgan horses can be bred in many different colours, though the usual colour is either black, bay or chestnut.

About Morgans Today
The Morgan horse is a noticeably versatile breed and they regularly compete in many different disciplines across the equestrian sphere, including eventing, dressage and showjumping. Such is their popularity, they also have there own show circuit, as well as a National Morgan Horse competition.

If you are looking for the right horse rugs for your horse, there are some things to consider before you make the purchase. This is a lasting investment and there is a wide variety of types of horse rugs to choose from. Show Sheets In fact, most horse owners find the need for more than one type of horse rug for their horse.

The size of your horse is an important consideration in your purchase. Before you shop for the perfect horse rug for your horse be sure to take the horse’s measurements. Otherwise, there is a risk of the horse rug being too large and the horse getting its legs caught up in it. treeless saddles

You will need to take some twine or rope and wrap it around the horse’s mid section in order to get a proper measurement. Then measure the twine and place it against a tape measure to find the right size in width. You also need to measure your horse from the mane to the tail for the length.

Another consideration when shopping for a horse rug is the type of climate you live in. In the winter you will want to have a heavy weight horse rug while the fall and spring will warrant a light weight horse rug for your horse. Investing in a summer cooler horse rug is a good idea to protect your horse from heat, flies and other insects.

For show horses you can find a dressage horse rug that is colorful and ornate. There is a variety of design and material options so you are sure to find one perfect for you and your horse.

There are stable horse rugs available for horses that spend a considerable time in the stables. Stable rugs are made from varying materials; anything from fleece to fancy duvets. western saddles The purpose is to keep the horse warm and comfortable.

When you invest in a horse rug, it doesn’t matter what type, the manufacturer’s care instructions should always be followed.

Have you double up your bank? If yes, now is the time to double your ventures. Get pleasure from horse betting. Play smart! People waste money, not because they are short of intuition but because they don’t succeed to work out the logic and the mathematics that control a good horse betting system.

The only way to get around a bookie is to beat the sense the similar logic, he uses himself. Counter to false impression, you do not necessitate luck or exclusive information to make sizeable money due to horse race betting.

No Guarantees

Despite what system you use, you are going to be defeated once in a while. Prior to we move any further, you need to be comprehensible about the information that no betting system is 100% definite.

Starting Bank

You need to join with the plan or you will finish off knocking your entire bank account before you know it.  You are going to necessitate a starting bank to protect for all your loosing bets. No necessity to be wasteful! We recommend you begin with a bank of somewhere nearly £250.

Mechanism

This betting system is derived from the reality that almost 40% of most horse races are won by the most wanted. This signifies that of you bet on 10 races a day, you are confident to win at least 4 of them. For each race you necessitate to bet only 2% of your bank on the most wanted. Therefore, if you stake £5 you will win back £10 with the original amount. Be confident to ensure the probability. You should put a bet on the preferred only when the likelihood are close to 11/8 or more than that. For unknown chances, divide up the first figure by the second (the result is 1.38). Anything less than 1.38 should not be touched!

If you’ve won on a actual day, quit betting, otherwise bet again. Use the sequence 1-1-2-4-8-16 to bet. In proportion to this you will necessitate to bet £5X1 on the next race, £5X2 on the next and so on for at least 5 to 6 races. Why only 2% of the total principle? This way, even with subsequent losses, you are highly doubtful to run out of funds money.

You require to consider that if your opening bank accounts goes above over £250, you require to keep betting only 2% of the initial amount and not 2% of the final available balance remainder. We sincerely question that you will need to do that. You can’t go on betting 6 times a day on a most wanted without considering a solo win.

Make use of it to substantially enhance the number of wins and reduce on your failure.